Documents that can be processed by Consulates are passports, renewals of the national identity card (DNI), certificates of existence, Residency Certificates and Cancellations of Consular Registration Certificates.

4/18/2016

Passport

Spanish citizens registered in the Register of Spanish citizens living abroad in Spanish consular offices have the right to renew and apply for Spanish passports.

Although passports must be processed in their place of residence, Spanish citizens travelling abroad can apply for a new passport at the consular offices along their route in case of:

- Loss or theft

- Expiry

- Approaching the expiry date

- Damage

- Lack of free pages

To be issued with a passport, applicants must present one of the following documents: original valid national identify card (DNI), the passport to be replaced or official birth certificate. If none of these documents is available, the consular office will consult the central authorities and, when Spanish identity and nationality has been verified, it will issue the passport, with the possibility of limiting its validity to three months.

To return to Spain, the consular office may issue a laissez-passer travel document valid solely for returning to Spain.

In applications for new passports for minors and disabled people, the express consent of the person with parental authority or the guardian must be shown.

Important note:

Minors must always be accompanied by the person with parental authority or the guardian. This person must provide proof of identity (Spanish citizens with their Spanish national identity card and foreign nationals with a resident's card or passport), as well as proof of the parental relationship or guardianship by presenting the original birth certificate, Family Book, judicial or administrative ruling conferring this status, or any other public document that proves their guardianship or parental authority.

For European Union countries and those with which Spain has signed a convention, a person may travel with a valid national identify card (DNI).

A passport sized photograph must also be submitted together with the passport application on the form provided by the consular office. In case of robbery or theft of the previous passport, the corresponding report to the local authorities must be provided.

Renewal of the national identify card (DNI)

Spanish citizens residing abroad may obtain their national identity card at their address in the foreign country. The national identity card can only be renewed in Spain, although Spanish citizens residing abroad may request that the document is handed over in the Consulate of their place of residence.

An official birth certificate for the national identity card may be requested at Consular Civil Registers when the Spanish citizen is planning to come to Spain to request their national identity card.

Obtaining a NIF (Personal Tax ID) of Individuals and electronic signature certificate:Natural and legal persons resident overseas may obtain a Tax ID number from any Spanish consular office in another country. The procedure established, as a result of collaboration between the Tax Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, also provides for the application for an electronic signature certificate from the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre-Real Casa de la Moneda.

Specifically, the measure affects type ‘L’ NIF applicants (Spanish residents overseas that are not obliged to have a National Identity Document), type ‘M’ applicants (foreign natural persons who, on a temporary or definitive nature, do not have a Foreigner’s Identity Number) and type ‘N’ applicants (non-resident natural and legal persons without a permanent establishment in Spain).

For more information, consult the web page of the consular office where you wish to make the application and the web page of the Tax Agency.

Certificates of existence and marital status

It is possible to obtain certificates of existence and marital status at the Consular Civil Registers.

Residence Certificate: The document that proves that the Spanish citizen is registered in the Consular Register for the purpose of obtaining or renewing a national identity card (DNI), for bank-related purposes, or other procedures, may be requested in Consulates or through the Directorate General of Spanish Citizens Abroad and Consular and Migration Affairs (Dirección General de Españoles en el Exterior y de Asuntos Consulares y Migratorios).

Cancellation of Consular Registration: The document that certifies that the Spanish citizen has cancelled their registration in the Consular Register in order to return to Spain or to move to another country can be obtained in a similar way. If the Spanish citizen does not carry this document with them, on returning to Spain they may request it from the aforementioned General Directorate.